Blanca Fernández Ochoa

Blanca Fernández Ochoa (22 April 1963 – 24 August 2019) was a World Cup alpine ski racer from Spain. Born in Madrid, she competed in four Winter Olympics, from 1980 through 1992.

Career Her four siblings all competed in alpine ski racing for Spain in the Winter Olympics: Dolores, Francisco, Juan Manuel, and Luis. Francisco (1950–2006) won the gold medal in slalom at the 1972 Olympics in Sapporo, Japan.

She received the Premio Reina Sofía for best athlete in 1983 and 1988 by Consejo Superior de Deportes at Premios Nacionales del Deporte. She also received the Real Orden del Mérito Deportivo in 1994. At the 1992 Olympics at Albertville, France, Blanca won the bronze medal in slalom.

During her World Cup career, she had 4 victories, 20 podiums, and 69 top ten finishes.

On 18 July 1991, she married Italian Daniel Fioretto in the Monastery of El Escorial. They ended up divorcing and she contracted a second marriage with David Fresneda, with whom she had two children, David (born 2000) and Olivia (born 1999), although this marriage also ended in divorce. The children live with their father. and found dead by a police officer on 4 September 2019 near La Peñota, in the Guadarrama Mountains. Policía Nacional believed it was not an accidental death in a safe area and there were not traumas. On 5 September 2019 it was declared she died from a suicide because lithium tablets and a bottle of wine were found near her body. She died the same day of the disappearance at the age of 56.

The Blanca Foundation After her death from suicide Blanca's sister Lola Fernández Ochoa founded The Blanca Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to promoting mental health awareness and providing support to individuals facing mental health challenges. Through its various programs and initiatives, the foundation works to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, offering resources, education, and a platform for open discussions. It focuses on providing accessible mental health services, including counseling and therapeutic support, to underserved communities. By partnering with experts, organizations, and local communities, the Blanca Foundation strives to create a more inclusive, empathetic society where mental health is prioritized, and people have the tools they need to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

World Cup results

Season standings Season Age Overall Slalom Giant Slalom Super-G Downhill Combined 1982 18 55 — 28 not run — — 1983 19 27 26 — not awarded — — 1984 20 36 27 19 — — 1985 21 10 16 7 — 8 1986 22 31 — 10 31 — 19 1987 23 8 18 3 9 — — 1988 24 4 4 5 3 — 9 1989 25 18 8 19 26 — — 1990 26 injured, did not compete 1991 27 10 3 17 — — — 1992 28 7 3 8 53 — — Points were only awarded for top ten finishes thru 1979, top 15 thru 1991 (see scoring system).

Race victories 4 wins (1 GS, 3 SL) 20 podiums (12 GS, 8 SL), 69 top tens

World Championship results

Year Location Age Slalom Giant Slalom Super-G Downhill Combined 1980 Lake Placid, United States 16 18 1982 Schladming, Austria 18 1985 Bormio, Italy 21 14 9 DNF 1987 Crans-Montana, Switzerland 23 5 5 10 1989 Vail, United States 25 4 7 1991 Saalbach, Austria 27 DNF From 1948 through 1980, the Winter Olympics were also the World Championships for alpine skiing. At the World Championships from 1954 through 1980, the combined was a "paper race" using the results of the three events (DH, GS, SL).

Olympic results

Year Location Age Slalom Giant Slalom Super-G Downhill Combined 1980 Lake Placid, United States 16 — 18 notrun — notrun 1984 Sarajevo, Yugoslavia 20 DNF2 6 — 1988 Calgary, Canada 24 5 DNF2 21 — — 1992 Albertville, France 28 3 12 — — —